Bashar Assad

‘US sanctions relief for Syria is conditional,’ Syrian American politician says

Washington’s easing of sanctions is tied to Syria’s political trajectory, leaving key figures from the Assad regime still under restrictions.

US President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order, as US Vice President JD Vance and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth look on, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, August 25, 2025.
 (Illustrative) A billboard to show Iran's ballistic missiles fired at Israel, May 23, 2024.

Iran readying for 'second round,' as Hezbollah braces for war, ex-IDF intel officer warns

 Syrian currency is traded from the back of a car on the streets of Damascus, April 15, 2025

Syria to revalue currency, dropping two zeros in bid for stability, sources say

People load a vehicle, as some families prepare to leave the al-Hol refugee camp to go back to their hometowns, in al-Hol, Syria, April 27, 2025.

Syria’s returning refugees face ruins, not relief - analysis


War crimes likely committed by both sides in Syria sectarian violence, UN commission says

Some 1,400 people, mainly civilians, were reported killed during the violence that primarily targeted Alawite communities, and reports of violations continue.

Syrian security forces stand alongside a vehicle in western Syria on March 21, 2025. A Reuters investigation found that thousands of forces carried out a wave of deadly attacks on Alawite villages in the region, leaving nearly 1,500 dead from March 7-9, 2025.

IDF apprehends add'l weapons dealer in south Syria

Soldiers of the 226th Brigade, working with Unit 504, apprehended a weapons dealer in Taranjah, Syria.

IDF soldiers operating in Syria

Suspended legitimacy: Has Shaara lost the trust of his backers? - analysis

Once the hope of the post-Assad era, Ahmed al-Sharaa’s leadership has faltered because of sectarian violence, political divisions, and loss of credibility.

 Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa looks on as he attends the “Aleppo, Key to Victory” celebration marking Syria’s liberation, in Aleppo, Syria May 27, 2025.

Can Lebanon disarm Hezbollah? - explainer

Lebanon's cabinet decision gave the army until the end of August to submit a disarmament plan to the government.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and members of the Lebanese cabinet meet to discuss efforts to bring all weapons in the country under the control of the state, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon August 5, 2025.

Syria's transitional justice commission set to launch, vows accountability for Assad-era crimes

“The protection of human rights must be institutionalized, violations must be stopped, and the rule of law must be restored," commission head Abdul Latif said.

A torn poster showing former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the Sayyida Zaynab district in Damascus, Syria, December 14, 2024

Syria pledges to form committee to investigate clashes in Sweida

The committee would investigate reported attacks and abuses against civilians and refer anyone proven to have participated in such attacks to the judiciary.

 Members of Syrian security forces ride on a back of a truck after Syrian troops entered the predominantly Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday following two days of clashes, in Sweida, Syria July 15, 2025.

Inside Syria’s struggles: Jonathan Spyer on conflict, Israel’s strategy, and reintegration

In a conversation with Jonathan Spyer, expert on Syria, we explore the latest flare-ups of violence, Israel's strategic role, and the challenges of reintegrating a fractured nation.

Bedouin families ride on a vehicle as they leave the village of Al-Mazraa, as residents reported calm in Syria's Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city, Sweida, Syira, July 21, 2025.

Voices from the Arab press: Damascus between the Druze, Alawites, and Kurds

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

WORKERS MAINTAIN power generation transformers in the Al-Kiswah area of the Damascus countryside, in Syria, May 26.

France's top court says arrest warrant for Assad is invalid, new one can be issued

Mariana Pena, senior legal officer at Open Society Justice Initiative, which helped gather evidence against Assad, described the court's ruling as "a missed opportunity for justice."

 A wall painted with a damaged drawing of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is pictured in the al-Qadam neighbourhood in Damascus, Syria, March 26, 2025.

Selective outrage: Why the world looks away from Syria’s atrocities but fixates on Gaza - analysis

Gaza is widely covered because it is symbolically and politically loaded. Syria is ignored because it is seen as broken, and no one cares.

Bedouin families ride on a vehicle as they leave the village of Al-Mazraa, as residents reported calm in Syria's Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city, Sweida, Syira, July 21, 2025.

Israel's first test as a regional superpower: Defending Druze in Syria's Sweida - opinion

What we are witnessing may be the first chapter of a Pax Israeliana - a regional order not imposed by conquest, but secured by principled strength.

 SMOKE RISES as Syrian troops enter the predominantly Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday. The Druze community in Syria is not only a historical ally of Israel, but it also sits on the front line between order and tribal disintegration, states the writer